UPI en Español  |   UPI Asia  |   About UPI  |   My Account
Search:
Go
You are here:  Home / Blog / The Israeli military's social media guru responds to 'Obama style' blackface scandal

The Israeli military's social media guru responds to 'Obama style' blackface scandal

The man behind @IDFSpokesperson found himself in hot water after posting a "blackface" Facebook photo of himself.
|
 
(Facebook via <a class="tpstyle" href="http://english.al-akhbar.com/blogs/barack-obama/israeli-army-social-media-guru-poses-obama-brownface" target="_blank">Al-Akhbar English</a>)
(Facebook via Al-Akhbar English)
Published: Nov. 26, 2012 at 3:39 PM
By KATE STANTON, UPI.com

Sacha Dratwa, the 26-year-old man in charge of the Israeli military's incredibly active social media presence, faced accusations of racism after the website, Al-Akhbar English, discovered a certain photo of him on Facebook. The photo, which appears to show Dratwa's face covered in mud, is captioned with the words "Obama style."

Dratwa posted the following statement to Facebook on Monday:

There have been attempts to make use of private photos from my Facebook profile in order to publicly misrepresent my opinions. Due to the amount of public attention I've garnered in recent days I have decided to restrict access to my page, in order to protect my privacy and prevent further cynical use of the information therein. I am, and have always been, completely candid about my beliefs and have nothing to hide – as reflected by my Facebook profile, which until recently was open to everyone. The aforementioned photos do not reflect my beliefs and have no bearing whatsoever on my position in the IDF.

Dratwa, via the Twitter handle @IDFSpokesperson, garnered attention for his live-tweeting of the Israeli military's recent strikes on Gaza.

**CORRECTION: The above Facebook photo was originally attributed to Your Black World. It has been corrected to Al-Akhbar English.

Recommended Stories
© 2012 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
'Star Trek Into Darkness' screening NBC upfronts Met Ball 2013
'Great Gatsby' premieres in New York Spire raised on top of One WTC 2013: Celebrity break ups and divorces
Most Popular
Stories Photos Comments
Featured Photos
1 of 18
Palestinian Security Forces Patrol the Border With Egypt.
View Caption
A members of the Hamas security forces patrol the border area between Gaza and Egypt, in the southern Gaza Strip May 20, 2013. Egyptian police angered by the kidnapping of seven colleagues by Islamist gunmen kept a crossing into the Gaza Strip closed again for four days, stranding hundreds of Palestinian travellers, As Tunnels between Egypt and Gaza closed and border was declared as military zone. Palestinian security forces patrol around the border, witnesses said. UPI/Ismael Mohamad
fark
3rd Annual Geek Pride Night @SkyBar in Bowling Green, OH, 8p May 22, Farkers welcome to the party...
Vertical Pink Houses may be the future of farming. John Mellencamp unavailable for comment
Photoshop this foxy gaze
From a new romance novel inspired by Michelle Bachmann: "He touched the void inside her, pollinating...
Hey, anyone want a free lighthouse?
Elizabeth Smart is awesome for many reasons. Most of all - telling Nancy Grace to STFU